Mattawan schools locked down due to police-involved incident on I-94

Mattawan school buildings were put on lock down after a suspect ran from police during a traffic stop on Interstate 94 on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Contributed)

The Mattawan Consolidated Schools was on lock down from noon until about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, and sent a text message to parents and others saying the buildings were closed as a precautionary measure.

The lock down was requested by police, district officials said in the text message. The reason was because of an incident on I-94. Police were reporting that they were chasing a suspect who was headed toward Kalamazoo.

Mattawan schools Superintendent Robin Buchler said the last report from police was that the suspect was heading towards Kalamazoo. They are resuming classes but keeping all doors locked and all students safely locked in.

Michigan State Police said troopers are searching for a wanted suspect who fled from a police stop.

Lt. Dale Hinz, with the state police's Paw Paw office, said the suspect was wanted on warrants, but ran from a traffic stop conducted by Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputy on Interstate 94. A K-9 unit is tracking the suspect, Hinz said, but it appears he fled into Kalamazoo County.

Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbot said the suspect ran off as deputies searched his car. During the search, he said, deputies found drugs inside the car. Abbott also said the suspect was last tracked somewhere along the Amtrak rail line, heading toward Kalamazoo.

Abbott said deputies know the identity of the suspect, who is a local resident, and that while he might be armed, he is not considered dangerous nor a threat to the public.

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